Diana Hendry’s “What is the Pond Doing?”

When you ask your grandmother a provocative question, you just might get a charming poem in reply. 🙂

“Sweet Baby Ducklings” by Allison Steele
WHAT IS THE POND DOING?
by Diana Hendry

(for Ruairidh, who asked)

Wobbling like a wobbly jelly
Being a bucket for the rain
Sending flash-backs to the sun
Cheeking the sky
Giving the moon a bath
Letting swans, ducks and winter leaves ride on its back
Licking the lollipop reeds
Pretending to be soup for the wind to stir
Growing stinky skunk cabbages
Drawing wheels and circles then rubbing them out
Plopping slopping slurping spinning
Turning the weeping willows happily upside down
Dreaming of running away to sea
Hiding under a starry blanket of dark

What is the pond doing?
Ponding. Responding.

*

“Child Playing in Pond Water” by Terri Hamlin
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watch out for flying sausages

“A unicorn is just a horse with a point of view.” ~ Ron Sexsmith

Ready for a feel good poem?

Just press E-4 on your table top jukebox for yet another witty wonder by Pennsylvania-based poet Edwin Romond. While you’re reading, I’ll polish off my bran muffin.

BIKER DINER SERENADE
by Edwin Romond

I thought the tiny table top juke box
would only play in my booth so I pressed G-6
for a cute little tune, “The Unicorn Song.” But
its first words, There were green alligators
and long neck geese blasted all over the diner
where a biker who’d just ordered the N.R.A Omelet
yelled, “Who in hell played that?” an inquiry
echoed by one with “Build The Wall!” tattooed 
on his biceps. Suddenly there was a diner duet
of Fox News on the TV and the Irish Rovers
singing about humpty back camels.
It was the fellow eating the house special:
ham, pork roll, bacon, and scrapple
with a side order of Spam who pointed me out,
“There he is, he’s the one!” as I tried to hide
behind my egg whites and whole grain muffin
while the entire diner got to hear about all those
silly unicorns laughing and splashing 
as Noah’s ark pulled away. Some bikers
were even moved to prayer and yelled,
“God Almighty! how long is this song?”
as verse after verse blasted through the room
filled with more chains and leather than 
an S&M support group. Amazing
how interminable 3 minutes, eighteen seconds
can seem when you’re dodging sausage links.
The last notes finally filled the greasy air
and my waitress whispered, “They’re gonna
kill you!” so I sneaked out the back door 
after pressing G-6 a second time just in case, 
to make America great again,
they’d like to sing along.

~ from Songs and Singers, © 2018
“Unicorn Rider” by Herr Nilsson (2019)
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lindsay macrae’s “happy families”

Butcher, Baker, Candlestick Maker.

Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy. 

Rich man, poor man, beggar man, thief, doctor, lawyer, Indian chief.

What will you be when you grow up — and will your job match your name?

“Three Men in a Tub” by Tim Egan
HAPPY FAMILIES
by Lindsay MacRae

Mr Pill the pharmacist
Mrs Bunn the baker
Master Leak the plumber’s mate
B. Grave the undertaker.

Mr Blast, who in the past
once mended broken hooters
Mr Spider – web designer
Miss Take – in computers.

Ena Hurry makes strung curry
Old MacDonald farms
Mr Cue is in the theatre
Bill Ithole sells arms.

Master Void is unemployed
Reg Card – a referee
When I grow up, I worry what
my name suggests I’ll be.

What kind of job might go with Robb?
I bet you think you know it.
But I’d rather rhyme than turn to crime
So perhaps I’ll be a poet.

~ from How to Avoid Kissing Your Parents in Public (Puffin, 2000)

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sounding off with roger mcgough

Listen: hear anything? 🙂

“The Thief” by Rory Mitchell (2018)
THE SOUND COLLECTOR 
by Roger McGough

A stranger called this morning 
Dressed all in black and grey 
Put every sound into a bag 
And carried them away 

The whistling of the kettle 
The turning of the lock 
The purring of the kitten 
The ticking of the clock 

The popping of the toaster 
The crunching of the flakes 
When you spread the marmalade 
The scraping noise it makes 

The hissing of the frying pan 
The ticking of the grill 
The bubbling of the bathtub 
As it starts to fill 

The drumming of the raindrops 
On the windowpane 
When you do the washing-up 
The gurgle of the drain 

The crying of the baby 
The squeaking of the chair 
The swishing of the curtain 
The creaking of the stair 

A stranger called this morning 
He didn't leave his name 
Left us only silence 
Life will never be the same

~ from Pillow Talk: A Book of Poems (Puffin Books, 1992)

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[imperfect review] Phoebe Dupree is Coming to Tea! by Linda Ashman and Alea Marley

Ding-Dong!

Who could that be?

It’s Phoebe Dupree, and she’s coming to tea!

Abby, the young narrator of this charming picture book by Linda Ashman and Alea Marley, is excited to host the amazing Phoebe Dupree, who just happens to be absolutely perfect in every way.

Phoebe is speedy.
Phoebe is smart.

She’s equally brilliant at science and art.

This puts more than a little pressure on Abby. After all, nothing less than a picture perfect tea for a positively perfect friend will do.

She knocks herself out baking delicious treats, spiffing up her dog Louie (even briefing him on proper behavior), and then laying a beautiful table with lovely flowers and polka dot china. Everything’s all set!

Abby and Louie happily greet Phoebe, who takes her seat next to a doll and two bears. But when Abby tries to bring in the treats, she struggles with the heavy tray. It starts to slip, then bobbles and wobbles – then Abby stumbles and trips. Oh no!

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